Panaji, Online accommodation hosting platform Airbnb has recorded a 30 percent growth in India in the last fiscal, a senior company official said.
Airbnb’s country head for India and Southeast Asia Amanpreet Singh Bajaj told PTI that India is playing a big role from an international expansion perspective and it is the fastest growing and emerging market for Airbnb.
He was speaking to PTI after Airbnb unveiled ‘Goa Unseen’, a digital guide to the state’s hidden cultural treasures. State Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and actor Abhay Deol were also present on the occasion.
The online accommodation hosting platform has a presence in over 220 countries and 10,000 cities across the world, with its strong presence in India.
“In the last fiscal, we have seen strong growth in terms of the numbers we are tracking,” Bajaj said. He said domestic nights are expected to grow by about 30 percent year-on-year in 2024-25.
“The company is also seeing strong growth in other areas of its business, such as Indians traveling abroad and staying on Airbnb and guests coming to India and staying on Airbnb,” Bajaj said.
He said the fourth quarter was strong as the company saw a 35 percent increase in its domestic nights bookings.
“It’s clear that a lot of people are using Airbnb, so India is a very important market for Airbnb’s growth,” he said.
Bajaj said the company’s strength is a global network that spans over 220 countries around the world. “In fact, we are a community of over five million hosts around the world,” he said.
Bajaj said many people today want to travel experientially. Bajaj said, “When I say experiential travel I basically mean immersive travel where people can not only visit the city like a tourist but also live like a local, this is something that Airbnb makes possible because we have a very, very wide variety of experiences.”
Speaking about Goa, he said the coastal tourism state is one of the most preferred destinations for Airbnb for both domestic and international guests.
“We have seen a growth of almost 20 percent in terms of nights booked in Goa from both a domestic and international perspective.
In fact, for all international guests visiting India on Airbnb, Goa was the No. 1 destination,” he said. Bajaj said Goa remains a destination 365 days a year and a lot of people come to Goa for what the state has to offer, there are so many cultural sites, so many heritage sites and unique experiences.
Bajaj said the company has long-term plans for India, particularly focusing on strengthening the base and making people aware of the benefits of the platform.
“Over the last three years, we have made technological upgrades to over 350 services offered by Airbnb and we listen to our hosts and guests and ensure that there is something for every type of trip and every type of traveller at every price point,” he added.
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